Garments are constructed by interconnecting panels of fabric material. The fabric material is typically woven from natural or synthetic textile fibers. Because woven materials have a tendency to become frayed at the edges, a serge or wraparound stitch is usually provided about the periphery of each fabric panel before assembly into the garment to prevent fraying. Either single thread or multiple thread serge stitches can be utilized. The provision of serge stitching comprises an important step in the production of high quality garments.
Traditionally, panels of fabric have been provided with serge stitching by individuals operating sewing machines. Since the various sections comprising a particular garment are of irregular configurations, much dexterity and experience are required of an operator to develop proficiency at serge stitching. Rapid coordination of the operator's eyes, hands and feet is necessary. Considerable skill is thus involved at high rates of production. There have been some attempts in the past to automate this stage of garment production. One approach has been the use of complex mechanical guiding devices. However, such devices are expensive and suffer from the further disadvantages of low reliability and high maintenance. There is thus a need for a less costly serge device requiring a minimum of manual intervention.